Potato-peeling machine.



(No Model.)

Fwl.

Wm M.

J. BLACHE. POTATO .PEELING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 21, 1899.)

Patented Nov. l2, I90l.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

I li I No. 686,576. Patenfed Nov. l2, l90l.

.1. BLACHE.

POTATO FEELING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 21, 1899.)

.2 Sheets-$heet 2.

(No Model.)

norms mans co, mom-umn" wAs mu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUSTIN BL'AOHE, OF VALENOE, FRANCE.

POTATO-PEELING MACHINE.

SI-EOIFICATIONforming part of Letters was No. 686,576, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed November 21, 1899. Serial No. 737,764. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern; j

Be it known that I, JUSTIN BLAOHE, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Valence-sur-Rhone, Drome, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Peeling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new or improved machine for'peeling potatoes and other tubers or roots, and has reference to that class of machines wherein the vegetables requiring to be peeled are placed in a kind of barrel, the inner periphery of which is furnished with brushes of special construction, While the movable bottom thereof, which is likewise provided with brushes, receives a rapid rotary motion about a Vertical axis, thereby causing the tubers to follow such motion, and in consequence of the centrifugal force thus developed to be constantly thrown against fixed brushes, which divest them of their peel or jacket.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, showing the driving-shaft carrying the two cranks arranged at one hundred and eighty degrees one relatively to the other. Fig. 2 is a transverse elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan of the machine.

This new or improved potato-peeling machine is arranged in the following manner: The tubers requiring to be peeled are placed in a receiver having the shape of a truncated cone and formed of wooden staves A. The latter are provided up to a given height with brushes made either of bristles, whalebone, or horn. As shown in the plan View of Fig. 3, these brushes have a varying length cor responding to the generatrices of the truncated cone. This arrangement has for its object to assist in the decortication of the tubers. The staves are held in position by two cast-iron hoops B B, forming angle-pieces, and by an outer casing of galvanized sheetiron D, the ends of which are clamped between the hoops B B and the staves A.

The apparatus is carried by three feet F, cast in one piece and connected together by radial arms f, leading to a boss in the center,

carrying a step-bearing G, on which is placed the end or pivot of the vertical shaft J. The

hoops B B are connected to the three feet F in the following manner -that is to say, the upper hoop B carries on its periphery six bosses, through which pass the iron tie-rods H and I, the lower hoop B carries'upon its periphery three bosses, through which the tierods I pass, and the three feet F carry likewise three bosses, through which the tie-rods H pass. The upper ho'op is thus connected to the lower hoop B on the one part and to the three feet F on the other part. The rigidity of the feet relatively to the upper part or frame is seouredin all directions by suitable bosses cast some upon the lower hoop B and some upon the feet F. The upper hoop or open angle-piece B and the lower hoop or closed angle piece B close and press the staves one against the other whenever the cross-bolts are tightened up in a similar manner to the hoops of ordinary barrels, so as to form a consolidated whole in the shape of a churn like tapering vessel, which is thoroughly water-tight.

A horizontal driving-shaft U, actuated by means of two crank-handles V, rotates in two bearings cast integrally with a bracket R of suit-able shape, which is connected to the hoop by four screws and is provided centrally with a boss, through which passes the vertical shaft J. The horizontal shaft U imparts a rotary motion to the vertical shaft J by the aid of the two bevel-wheels T and S. At the foot of the vertical shaft is keyed a horizontal fly-wheel K, upon which is placed the bottom disk L, furnished with brushes Z. The brushes fixed to the periphery of this disk are inclined, as shown in Fig. 1, in order to withstand the action of the centrifugal force and to avoid rubbing when the machine is in motion against the fixed brushes a of the outer casing or receptacle. A cylinder consisting of wooden staves M, provided with brushes m, surrounds the Vertical shaft. The lower end of this cylinder, which is provided with a centrally-perforated disk 0, bears against the movable bottom disk L, while its upper end is likewise furnished with a centrallyperforated disk N, tightened by two nuts Q. Two other nuts P, arranged under the hub of the flywheel, allow of the whole of the movable part being gradually raised as the brushes are wearing. The boss or step-bearing Gis furnished with two tiny steel balls g, while the vertical shaft can be properly adjusted by means of a set-screwy, furnished with a tightening-nutj. A lubricator having a constant level of oil and not shown in the drawings distributes the oil necessary for the lubrication of the machine through a suitable brass pipe.

The tubers requiring to be peeled are watered at their upper end by a circular perforated brass pipe X, which is connected to any suitable water-supply pipe, such as b. Below the crown of the fly-wheel is arranged a zinc gutter Y, designed to receive the Water and the refuse through an opening (not shown in the drawings) and to convey them to a suitable receptacle placed below the machine. A cover-joint or apron Z is nailed on the staves A. It has for its object to prevent the water from running between such staves and the gutter.

A hinged door a allows of the potatoes or the like being withdrawn at the end of the operation. In the machine such as hereinfore described there is shown a cylinder formed by wooden staves furnished with brushes. In smaller-sized machines, however, such cylinder can be replaced by a cone of tinned iron.

I claim- 1. In a potato-peeling machine, the combination of a suitably-supported vessel or tub,

provided with brushes on its inner periphery,

an axial shaft in said vessel having suitable means of rotation, a sprayer around the upper end of said shaft, a cylindrical sleeve secured on said shaft and provided with circumferential brushes, a gutter, a fly-Wheel on the lower end of the said shaft the periphery of which wheel turns in said gutter, a cover or apron projecting over the gutter from the inner Wall of the vessel, a diskshaped bottom on said fly-wheel, through which said shaft passes, and upon which said sleeve rests, said bottom having a number of upwardly-extending brushes, and means for adjusting and tightening said fiy-wheel and bottom on said shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. In a potato-peeling machine, the combination of a suitably supported vessel provided with brushes on its inner periphery,

said brushes being of alternating varying lengths, an axial shaft journaled in said vessel, a disk-shaped bottom fixed on said shaft, and provided with upwardly-extending brushes, the outermost tufts of which upwardly-extending brushes are bodily inclined inwardly, while the lowermost tufts of the peripheral brushes on the vessel are bodily inclined upwardly, and means for turning said shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JUSTIN BLAOI-IE.

Witnesses:

VERnIs BINN, R. K. FAST. 

